Immerse yourself in words at the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival

Ghomeshi

GUELPH — While the author readings are usually the big draw for the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, this year there’s more than reading going on during the three-day festival.

The festival kicks off Friday evening with a gala reception in the Community Hall in the village. There will be a jazz concert and two author readings, featuring Trevor Cole and Jasmine Aziz. Tickets for the gala are $20.

On Saturday there are two big events — a day-long i-book author workshop entitled 21st Century Storytelling, and later in the day CBC radio personality Jian Ghomeshi is launching his new book, 1982, in Rozanski Hall on the University of Guelph campus.

Sunday it’s the festival that book-lovers know and love — a day of books and readings by 50 authors in the bucolic village by the banks of the Eramosa River.

Susan Ratcliffe, chair of the board of directors, has a hard time deciding her favourite element of the festival.

The books, the authors, the setting, the community of volunteers that keep the festival alive — “It’s so wonderful to be in an environment with people who love to read,” she said.

The i-book workshop is bringing the art of writing to the 21st century, Ratcliffe said.

Kelly Janzen will lead the session, which merges traditional writing — memoirs, travelogues and family histories for example — with state-of-the-art technology.

Janzen will show participants how they can add music, photos and video to their writing. Grandma’s voice, travel photos and family video can all be added.

“It adds a whole other layer to books and how we connect with them,” Ratcliffe said. “Kelly says it’s easy.”

The workshop runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Delta Hotel. Cost is $50 and includes lunch and refreshments.

At 4 p.m. Jian Ghomeshi takes the stage reading a sample from his book 1982. It’s the story of a teenaged boy from Iran growing up in Thornhill, Ont., and his struggle to fit in. For Ghomeshi, 1982 was a pivotal year. For the audience, the references to what was in, and what hadn’t been invented yet, is fairly comical.

Ghomeshi’s session is about an hour and he’ll sign copies of the book afterward. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students.

Sunday there are 50 authors to see and hear and they are impressive.

Michael Ondaatje, Linda Spalding and Leon Rooke return to the writers’ festival they started 24 years ago. Doug Gibson will interview Alastair McLeod in a public conversation. Book club darling Ami McKay will also read from her latest book The Virgin Cure.

There are also children’s and young adult authors, the Fringe, where unpublished authors can read their work, poets and poetry slam, which is action-packed and edgy.

A free shuttle bus will run from the Sleeman Centre and University Centre. Admission is $15 at the gate.

Ratcliffe advises people to bring a lawn chair or blanket, pack a lunch if you want, although food can be purchased on site, and prepare to immerse yourself in words.